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Adrian Peterson empathizes with former players

By WTOP Staff

BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Adrian Peterson empathizes with former players who are suing the NFL over painkillers and other medication they were given during their playing days.

More than 600 former players contend team physicians and trainers across the NFL routinely — and often illegally — dispensed powerful narcotics and other controlled substances on game days to mask pain. The players claim they have suffered an assortment of illnesses since, ranging from addiction to chronic muscle and bone ailments to permanent nerve and organ damage.

Peterson, who made a sensationally quick return from torn knee ligaments to win the 2012 NFL MVP award, says he’s made sure he was completely informed about what he has been given throughout his career with the Minnesota Vikings, and in college at Oklahoma.

“It’s a very unfortunate situation,” Peterson said. “Anything I’ve taken to subside pain I knew what it was, and it was not ever forced on me. The side effects? I don’t know if that was ever explained to them back then.

“I hope things work out in their favor. The NFL now and then, maybe this will give us insight into what happened back then. You make your own decisions, but if (repercussions) are not laid out to you …”

Peterson heads into his eighth pro season as one of the most respected athletes in the NFL, if not all of sports. His return from a ravaged ACL in his left knee the previous December to nearly setting a league rushing record is considered one of the great comebacks by an athlete. He still gets compliments from his peers on his ability to rehab so well, so fast, then return and dominate.

Peterson also had offseason hernia surgery this year.

“It’s humbling to be able to have someone express to you on your rehab how it just inspired them to have a totally different mindset to overcome injury or obstacles in their life,” said Peterson, 29. “It makes me feel good from a spiritual context, because life is so much more than football.

“It is inspirational to me to stand up to a challenge.”

Getting selected high in the draft has been something of a challenge for running backs in recent years; none were selected in the first round in 2013 or ’14. Peterson doesn’t see that as a trend, however.

“It could be a watered-down running back position, but in the future I think there will be great guys that will open your eyes and force you to take them in the first round,” he said. “In the top 10 or top five picks. In the past two or three years we haven’t really had a Marshawn Lynch or a Frank Gore coming out.

“I’m not buying that the NFL is making a transition to a passing league. That will slow down.”

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AP Sports Writer Jim Litke contributed to this story.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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